What's popping everyone? Sorry for the overly long wait but I'm back. This chapter is a little shorter but it's full of information so I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review and favourite if you wish. See you again soon!
Chapter 24
Giovanni paced down a long empty corridor. When he reached the end of the hallway he was met by a familiar large metal door.
He placed his hand on the scanner to left of the door and after a few seconds the door began to ascend open.
He continued the same walk he did every day. On the left hand side there was a row of pokéballs that were held in individual boxes. On the right hand side there were cages containing some of the rarest Pokémon in existence including Uxie, Azelf, Mesprit, Victini, Manaphy and Jirachi.
Directly in front of him was a number of monitors showing images so far fetched anyone else would think they were fake. There was a Kyogre trapped at the bottom of the ocean, a Groudon contained and submerged by lava and a Giratina unconscious surrounded by a mass of space.
"Has there been any issues with any of them so far?" Giovanni asked the member who was monitoring the Pokémon.
"None as of yet." The man replied. "They have all been stable."
"Good," Giovanni smirked. "We're getting closer and closer. I hope you're not having second thoughts about joining us."
"Of course not." The man insisted, taking off his hat and running one of his hands through his green hair.
"You've been an asset to us so far." Giovanni told him. "It would be a shame to have to eliminate you because you miss your old ties."
"Don't worry that's not a problem." Cilan spat. "As soon as my cousin enlightened me of their true feelings I had no doubts."
"Ah yes, the other green haired recruit we have." Giovanni mentioned. "And what about your brothers? How do they feel about your decision?"
"I don't even think they know." Cilan informed. "I'm willing to bet they just think I'm traveling with Ash again. The less they know the better."
"Back to business," Giovanni changed the subject. "What are we missing?"
"The only ones we are missing now are Yveltal, Heatran and Moltres." Cilan informed.
"And I have operatives out for each one so that should be wrapped up soon." Giovanni grinned.
"If you don't mind me asking sir, what was the need for 3 Mewtwo's?" Cilan asked. "Especially when only one of every other legendary is required."
"Honestly I just have a vendetta against Mewtwo's since one got the better of me a few years ago." Giovanni said angrily. "So I caught them all so they could pay for defying me."
Giovanni realised he was gripping Cilan's chair so tightly that the fabric was beginning to tear.
"Inform me as soon as a team returns with a Pokémon we don't have." Giovanni ordered Cilan before turning and exiting the room.
"Hey Mom, it's great to see you." Ash said happily as he took the phone of hold.
"Oh Ash I'm so happy to see you too. Happy Birthday." Delia smiled. "How have you been?"
"Thanks Mom, I've been good, trying to stay out of trouble as usual." He paused. "And failing."
"That's my boy." Delia laughed. "Have you been changing your underwear every day?"
"Mom please stop." Ash begged, full of embarrassment. "I'm 19 now you don't need to keep reminding me."
"Just making sure." Delia laughed. "So did everyone wish you a big Happy Birthday."
"Well we had a pretty busy morning." Ash explained, avoiding details to not worry his mother. "So everyone's been pretty distracted, it's only really been May so far."
"Oh of course it was May." Delia giggled. "I bet she gave you a special present."
"You could say that." Ash said awkwardly while rubbing the back of his head. "We are sort of going out now."
"I knew it would happen eventually." Delia grinned.
"How?" Ash asked.
"Mother's intuition." Delia explained. "I'm so happy for you Ash."
"Thanks Mom." Ash smiled.
"Now I think it's time we have a very important talk about the birds and b-"
"Mom please stop." Ash begged.
Delia laughed but at the same time she was proud of just how much her little boy had grown up.
"Ash I'm so proud of you, and I love you so much." Delia said sincerely. "So I owe you the respect to tell you something I've been delaying for too long."
"What are you talking about?" Ash asked puzzled.
"It's time I told you about your father."
Ash felt a huge lump from in his throat almost instantly. He can't believe his mother was finally telling him. Back when he was a kid he used to always ask about his father but his mother just used to say that she would tell him someday.
Eventually Ash just stopped asking but he never stopped wondering as to who his father was.
And now it seemed he would get his answer.
"Wow I wasn't expecting that." Ash admitted. "But I'm so happy I finally get to know."
"I actually met him after the Silver Conference in Johto." Delia began. "He was competing there."
"I knew my Dad was a Pokémon Trainer but I didn't know he challenged leagues." Ash said surprised.
"He didn't just challenge, he actually won the Silver Conference." Delia spoke proudly. "And he defeated the Elite 4 and Johto Champion."
"Dad was actually the Johto Champion?" Ash asked in disbelief.
"He was, and that's how I knew that you'd become Champion one day too Ash." Delia smiled. "And you did."
"So, how did you two meet exactly." Ash asked.
"Well, Professor Oak had already met him, he was raving about this battling prodigy he had met, you know how he gets." She laughed. "He insisted I come with him to watch so I did. I'm not usually too invested in battling but he had me paying full attention. The elegance and power of his Pokémon was striking, as was his bond with Pokémon. A lot like you."
Ash swelled up at that, even though he never knew his Dad he always felt proud when his mother found some common trait between them.
"After he had won the Silver Conference Samuel Of course wanted to congratulate him. After the ceremonies Professor Oak introduced us and we really hit it off from there. We were the same age, had some of the same habits and interests. It just felt so natural."
Delia took a breath and smiled at the memory.
"After that when we went on a few dates. I even travelled with him for a bit." Delia told. "We used to visit Goldenrod, spend winters in Snowpoint City and take a midnight stroll once a week in Pallet Town."
Ash is far from the best when it comes to reading other people's emotions but he could tell his mother really looked back on this time fondly.
"It was actually on one of those midnight strolls that he proposed." Delia continued. "Of course I said yes and about a year later we got married in a ceremony in Celadon City."
Ash remained silent allowing his mother to continue.
"It was the happiest day of my life," Delia recalled. "Until you were born of course. We lived happily in Pallet Town for a few months. Your father had fallen in love with the place and I had lived there my whole life so we decided to build our home there."
Then Delia's smile began to fade.
"Unfortunately being such a talented trainer and the champion of a region called for a lot of responsibility. He was asked to try and find a rogue trainer and bring him to his senses."
She took a deep breath in an effort to compose herself.
"He felt it was his duty to help and he had that craving for adventure that he couldn't subdue. He left to find him and he did. Your father even defeated him in battle and came home safely. But something was off. Your father may have beaten who he had to but he had yet to come back so he felt as if he failed. Plus, I still felt that bad feeling looming over me."
Then a smile began to form on Delia's face once again.
"Then we got the best news imaginable, that I was going to have a baby. We were so happy, a baby to complete our family."
The smile that was on Delia's face disappeared almost as soon as it formed.
"Then your father had to make a trip back to Johto. He was just going back to see his mother and I couldn't travel because I was pregnant. Turns out that was the last time I ever saw him."
Ash watched in shock as tears had began to leak from his mother's eyes.
"I was so worried when he didn't call to say he arrived. Then I received a call from his mother asking did he contact me because he didn't arrive at her house. My worst fear came true that night. I heard knocking at the door at 4am. When I answered Officer Jenny was standing there. I immediately knew and she confirmed, they had found your father murdered."
Ash's hand holding the phone was shaking. He could only stare in a mixture of emotions he couldn't even begin to describe. He had always hoped that his father was out there somewhere just waiting for the right time to come back into his life and they were going to reconnect and become really close. This just ruled out the happy dream Ash had.
Instead he received cold closure. It was now guaranteed that Ash's father wasn't coming back. He just managed to drag himself out of his thoughts as his mother began talking again.
"The sorrow I was experiencing was almost unbearable. It almost was too much for me. The pain was so bad I almost lost my baby too. Luckily, that didn't happen and a few months later you were born and you brought some happiness back into my life."
Ash tried to take in everything his mother had just told him but it was difficult. It was hard to digest such information all at once.
"I wanted to tell you earlier, I really wish I did." Delia insisted. "I just didn't have the strength or courage to do so and I'm sorry."
"It's okay Mom." Ash told her with a shaky voice. "But can I just ask one question? What was Dad's name?"
Delia took a breath and smiled at her son.
"His name was Gold."
